Have you ever been arrested? Ever had any tax liens? If so, start & resolution dates?
No
What are the three main reasons you are running for this office? Do you see any potential conflicts of interest?
1. I believe in transparency in government, and I know that I have the ability to bring additional transparency to the constables department.
2. I believe that a person should not complain about something unless they are willing to do something about it, I don’t feel that I can complain about government unless I am willing to get involved in it. I think protecting the families of our area is the most important job of any law enforcement agencies, and as a husband and father I feel an obligation to do just that.
3. As a new father, I want my son to know that we live in the greatest nation the world has ever seen, and part of that greatness is that we have the power to elect people to represent us in all facets of our government, and that those elected should be representative of the people who elect them. The demographics in Precinct five continue to change and shift more to families with young children with professional parents. I feel that this is the type of person that should be elected to serve and protect the families of precinct 5.
What are the three main reasons you are running for this office? Do you see any potential conflicts of interest?
I feel the position of Constable is very similar to a lot of leadership offices in this country, that the individual in that office should be a strategic thinker, someone who can come up with new and innovative means to fight crime, and provide security for families. I have spent the past eleven years in corporate strategy, I manage large amounts of capital spend, and direct teams on strategic directions to make the most of those budgets. Additionally I spent eleven years in the Texas State Guard as both an MP, and a Maritime officer. The training and expertise I gained in security, & disaster response coupled with my corporate experience makes me a well-rounded candidate, one with a perspective that goes beyond that of a career law enforcement officer. Not to say that there is anything wrong with career law enforcement officers, I have a deep respect for anyone who is willing to serve in that role, but just that I can bring something to the table that I think will help take the Constable’s department to the next level.
What do you see as the 3 major challenges for your office over this next term?
1. Transforming the department to become a 21st century community policing force. This involves not only putting more deputies on the streets, but also changing the dynamic of the department to focus on getting out of the patrol car, and getting to know the people they are sworn to serve and protect.
2. Not sacrificing the core duties of the department to achieve that transformation, this could be accomplished by organizational means.
3. Creating a budget that achieves the goals of the department without any signifant burden on the tax payers. This can be achieved by developing a very robust reserve division, and allocating resources where they need to go.
What goals do you have in mind, if you are elected, and to which you want to be measured against in the coming term?
1. I want to get to know as many members of the community personally, this can be a challenge with a population of over 40 thousand people, but one I will strive for, I will accomplish this through involvement in local civic organizations, as well as getting out in the community and meeting people every chance I get.
2. I want to develop a first class reserve division with deputies serving in every aspect of the departments operations.
3. I want to increase community patrols, because one of the biggest deterrents of crime is police presence.
Are the United States and Texas constitutions living documents? Please answer in the context of Progressivism versus Originalism.
I was raised in a very conservative Christian home, and one thing I was taught is that the bible is a guide for the way we are to live our lives, we should not add to it or take away from it. I carry the same belief to the constitutions. Our founding fathers had an intent for the way this country and this state are to function, and too many brave men and women have laid their lives down as a sacrifice upon the alter of freedom for us to change the original intent of the constitution. One of the reasons the Roman empire, and all great world powers failed throughout history is when they turn away from their founding principles. The constitution is and always has been the foundational document for the American government. There has already been enough misinterpretation of it, we need to get back to those original ideals that founded this country and quit trying to complicate matters based on the popular belief of the moment.
What is the job of a Constable?
The job of the constable is to develop an organization of law enforcement professionals that acts as the chief process server for the JP court, Provides community policing services, and acts in other law enforcement areas as the community deems necessary to serve and protect the citizens of the precinct. As constable one should be developing and driving strategies to continuously improve the services provided, and empowering the officers of the department to do the best possible work to that end.
Civic, Political or union organization or individuals to whom you have contributed (five years):
As a general rule my contributory dollars go towards religious organizations first. I contribute to my church which provides missional work in several foreign countries as well as here at home in Texas. I also support the Chi Alpha college ministry at the University of Houston through the General Council of the Assemblies of God. I have also on occasion contributed to political action committees that support legislative representation of the oil and gas industry.
Please describe the best way for the average voter to determine which candidate for this office is best.
Voters need to understand what each candidate stands for, and what their plan for the office will be. They also need to be self-aware enough to know what they truly expect from that office, and decide which candidate will deliver on their expectations. I think too often in politics candidates try to fit their message to what they think voters will want to hear, rather than explaining their strengths, and their vision, and then letting the voters decide who is the best fit for them. I would hope voters do not just vote for an incumbent because they don’t know the other candidates, but I feel this happens a lot.
Where do you think the possibility for corruption resides in county government? How would you handle it in your department, even if you think there is none?
I think Constable Hill runs a very ethical department. From what I know of him he seems like a very upright Christian man whom I respect, but if there were corruption I would expose it, and have a zero tolerance policy for any form of corruption.
How many hours a week working cases does it take to be a "good" law enforcement officer?
I believe that expertise comes through a combination of training, and experience, heavily weighted on the experience side. I don’t think there is a direct correlation between the number of hours worked and expertise, but rather an individual’s ability to use every case as a learning opportunity to develop skills, and learn new techniques.
How many days off per year should the officeholder of this position take to learn (seminars & workshops) or teach (give educational or motivational talks) or network with other county officials?
I think that it is absolutely critical for leaders in any organization to continuously learn new strategies and tactics that will accomplish the missions of their organizations. It is also critical for them to share their own knowledge and expertise, as well as develop a professional network of others in similar roles so they can become better more dynamic leaders, however there has to be a balance. The vast majority of their time must be spent in the work they were elected to do. The specific number of days off they take for those activities needs to be measured against their ability to be out of the office and ensuring the job continues to get done.
What have you done to prepare for serving in this role?
I have been conducting a lot of research on what best in class constable’s departments across the state are doing, as it relates to the services they provide, and I have been looking into how smaller departments provide a vast array of services with minimal budgets. I have also been looking into the relationships between local law enforcement, and the state legislature. I have been meeting with members of the legislature to begin developing relationships because I believe that strong relationships with members of the legislature will be a key to success.
Who is endorsing you and what is their relationship to you?
I have not been seeking a lot of endorsements, this may be something that costs me in the long run, but I feel it is more important for individuals to get to know me themselves rather than getting other people to tell them what they should think about me. In my campaign you will not see a lot of videos of prominent people talking about how great of a guy I am, but rather you will see me telling people what my plan is, you will see me going door to door to personally meet as many residents of Precinct 5 as I can. You will see me holding meet and greet events as a forum for voters to come and meet me and my family and see if we are the type of people they want to serve them, and you will see me personally answering emails and phone calls from residents that have questions for me.
